


Flowers Don't Have a Language

by asymmetricace



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, M/M, Only in the last chapter though, first fic here lmao, flower shop au it is what it is, genji is (mostly) accidentally a little shit, genyatta if you wish to call it so, just a ridiculous brotherly rivalry/fights, no siblicide, others may show up depending on how long this goes, please don't ask me what gen and han do for their job i do not know, tracer pharah and reaper are mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-25
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 21:37:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7862035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asymmetricace/pseuds/asymmetricace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the tumblr post about passive-aggressively saying fuck you in flower. </p>
<p>Hanzo needs a gift to celebrate his brother's promotion, and McCree happens to be the only idiot who keeps a flower shop open after 10 PM. Shenanigans ensue.<br/>(the chapters may get progressively shorter, so I apologize ahead of time. title may also be subject to change.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hey howdy ! first of all, I haven't posted a fanfic online since 2012/2013 so forgive me if I'm a bit rusty ! (also, I'm no English major either, so please don't come to me looking for grammatical perfection ahahaaa!)  
> Like it says in the summary, this fic is based on the post by tumblr user demisexualmerrill that was subsequently added on to by user koscheiis ! (the summary is also very simple because I must admit I am not good at them)  
> I have no idea how long this is going to be (it was originally just going to be a one-shot), but I can't imagine it will be more than four chapters ! Also, it won't have a set update schedule due to the fact that college can be inconvenient, but I do have most of the story written down already at this point ! Right, so I'm gonna scoot on out here (don't wanna take up too much with this) and I hope you enjoy this strange little AU !  
> (Do we still do disclaimers??? In any case, I don't own Overwatch or any related characters)

          Hanzo Shimada could not remember exactly what day it was. It might have been a Tuesday… Maybe a Thursday? It was one of those two. Probably. Either way, he was having a whirlwind of a day. It had been someone’s birthday at the office. The employers always did their best to stay connected to the employees, and one of such methods included celebrating each and every birthday. Hanzo found this tradition quite obnoxious, if he was honest, but he would never say anything to upset his employers. That day it had been a young woman named Fareeha’s birthday. At least, that was Hanzo’s closest guess. He tried his best to stay out of the affairs of others.  
         

          But, alas, the affairs of others were determined to pursue him, and the majority of them came in the form of a shock of green hair named Genji Shimada.

          Hanzo cared a great deal about his little brother Genji’s well-being and status, which brought him to the next overwhelming part of his day. He should have been glad his brother was promoted and now working closer to him. On the other hand, however, _Genji was now working closer to him_. They were doing the same job. There was no escape from the younger Shimada’s lack of professionalism and scandalous tales that he shared with anyone who liked him well enough to listen. Genji was going to be the death of Hanzo, and they had not even begun working side-by-side yet. Just thinking about it made Hanzo want to rip his own hair out. It would probably be less painful.  
          Hanzo mumbled some choice words about his brother’s lifestyle and habits before angrily shoving his hands into his trouser pockets. Granted, most things he did, he did angrily. This was not the time to consider his own life; he could do that once he returned to his sparsely furnished apartment and poured himself a glass of plum wine or sake. No, Hanzo thought bitterly as he walked down the sidewalk at 10 o’clock at night, this outing was devoted to Genji and finding the one Godforsaken flower store that was still open at this Godforsaken hour. (He admitted that it wasn’t actually too terribly late. It was just that he would have preferred to not be out at all).

         Hanzo knew deep in his heart that part of supporting Genji and caring that he fixed his life meant being proud and congratulatory of his accomplishments. Even when said accomplishments placed them at the same level and one door down the hall from each other. So, as soon as Hanzo received word of his brother’s promotion, he realized some sort of gift would need to be arranged. Genji liked flowers, he had recalled as he begrudgingly began to think of an appropriate gift. The kind of flowers with “feather petals”, Genji had said once in their youth. Hanzo had no idea what that was supposed to mean and figured that any petals that looked soft would do. That is, if he ever found a flower shop. There had to be one nearby. The real question was whether or not it would still be open.  
          Quickly growing more and more frustrated with his search, Hanzo began to pick up speed as he walked. Shortly before he had reached a nice jogging pace, however, he tripped over a chalkboard sign that was sitting in his way. He swore loudly in Japanese as he first made sure he wasn’t injured and then moved to replace the sign back in its rightful place. He stepped back to inspect his work and happened to actually read the sign. “West Rose Flowers. Open late!” it read in what looked like extremely practiced red chalk writing. Scrawled messily underneath the name was a line that read: “Come on in! We have cold drinks too!” It was exponentially harder to decipher.

          Hanzo took a moment to wonder if his luck was really that reliable before gently pushing open the door and stepping in. He was greeted by the sight of a slightly disheveled looking man shelving plants. Hanzo wasn’t exactly sure that he was in a good enough mental place to deal with this. The man in front of him looked like a cowboy on a budget; a strict budget that included a clause about wearing clothes until they literally fell apart.  
          The two men both took several seconds to stare in silence. The ridiculously dressed man finally cleared his throat and tipped the battered cowboy hat he wore.  
          “Howdy!” He said.

* * *

           Jesse McCree knew exactly what day it was. It was a Monday, and a Monday he would always remember at that. A new shipment of flowers had just come in, and, although it was exciting, it wasn’t the reason he would never forget this day. Jesse had never considered any drop off a strange time for delivery. Once, he had arrived to the shop to find a truck load of flowers unloaded around back with a note attached that read: ‘If these wilt, it’s your fault for keeping such stupid hours – R’. Jesse thought that 12 PM was a perfectly reasonable time to open and also that the choice of operation hours was none of Reyes’ business. But, he digressed.

          With a sigh, Jesse returned to the present and rolled up the sleeves of his red flannel shirt before starting to move flowers and pots to their new locations on the shelves. When he began to feel the heat of labor, he wiped his brow with his prosthetic arm, the cool metal a nice relief. Then, after some thought as to the likelihood of him having any more customers, he undid the top few buttons on his shirt.  
          “Now, that’s better…” Jesse breathed with a sigh, picking up another plant. It really was no improvement. If he wanted to make any real change to his body temperature, he knew he would have to set aside his tattered hat. But, Jesse would rather sweat to death than acknowledge that his favorite hat was partially the source of his misery.

          So this was how Jesse found himself when the front door opened: wiping dirt from his hands onto his jeans, thanks to a plant he had just finished relocating. And, lord almighty, if the stranger that walked in wasn’t the most handsome man he had ever laid eyes on.  
          The man’s hair was done neatly back in a small ponytail, except for a bit in the front that hung down over his face. A well-managed little beard, unlike Jesse’s own unshaven mess, sat tidily on his chin. He had sharp brown eyes that – Oh, shit. He was staring. He felt a flush creeping up his neck as he realized he had to say something, _anything_ , before it was too late. He cleared his throat loudly.  
          Jesse reached up and tipped his hat to the man, meaning to give him a warm and smooth welcome to the fine establishment, but when he opened his mouth, all that slipped out was a “Howdy!” The man blinked at him. _Shit, c’mon, Jess. Get it together._

          “Welcome, pardner.” Jesse put his hands in his jeans pockets, suddenly self-conscious of how dirty he was. “The name’s Jesse McCree an’ I run this here fine place o’ business. What can I do you for, Mr…?”  
          “Shimada,” The man answered curtly, giving the slightest bow at the waist. “Hanzo Shimada. And… I am afraid I misunderstand the question, Mister…Ma-kuree.”  
          Jesse gave a short bark of laughter. “Don’t strain yerself now, Shimada-san. Just call me Jesse. And, t’ rephrase, what brings you t’ my little flower shop this late at night?” He leaned against the shelf slightly as he spoke.  
          “Ah. Yes. Of course, well—” Hanzo paused, suddenly looking very focused on Jesse’s waist. “Does… Does your belt say…‘BAMF’?”

          Jesse looked down at the belt in question, both in mock surprise and wondering if he had put on the right belt in the first place. He had quite the collection of belts with interesting buckles. He returned his gaze to Hanzo and grinned somewhat mischievously. “Well, now, I reckon it does. Dadgum… Must be true then, darlin’. Now, did you see my fashion choices from outside an’ decide you needed t’ come in an’ say somethin’, or are you here to buy some flowers?”  
          “Yes.” Hanzo gave a quick nod. “My apologies. What would you recommend for someone who recently…earned a promotion?” He hesitated upon using the word ‘earned’, reflecting on his brother’s work habits.  
          “That’s gonna depend, pardner.” Jesse said, lightly tugging at his beard. “How pretty’s th’ little lady yer tryin’ t’ congratulate?”  
          “…they are for my brother.”  
          “My bad. Well, I reckon you’ll want somethin’ simple, then. D’ya know what his favorite flower is?” Jesse had already begun moving towards the other side of the store as he spoke. He beckoned with his metal hand for Hanzo to follow suit.

          Hanzo did indeed follow him; several paces back, but followed nonetheless. He scowled fiercely as he contemplated the question. “No, I apologize. That never came up when I was retrieving him from bars and clubs late at night after he had too many drinks with too many people.” He was almost snarling by the time he finished speaking. Upon seeing the dumbfounded look on Jesse’s face, he sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes momentarily. Often times he got carried away when discussing his brother, willing others to see that he was reasonably frustrated by the situation. “I… He likes green, and something about ‘feathery petals’. Forgive my outburst…”  
          Jesse allowed himself a low whistle, surprised. “Ain’t no problem there. Everyone’s gotta let off steam sometime. Don’t you worry yerself none, I got just th’ thing for you.” He looked up and down a few rows before finally selecting a small bouquet of what Hanzo considered to be the ugliest and greenest single bunch of flowers he had ever seen in his life.  
          “They are perfect.” Hanzo said with a nod towards the flowers. “Genji has a strange affinity for outrageously tacky things, if his wardrobe is anything to go by.” He meant every word he said, and perhaps had been a bit too kind. No matter what Genji might insist, leopard print had no business in a workplace environment.

          “Woah, now! I can’t very well go sellin’ you these beautiful flowers in good conscious if you’re just gonna stand there an’ insult them like that!” Jesse laughed heartily, feigning offense, and Hanzo did not appreciate the sudden warmth that grew in his stomach at the sound. “Promise me you’ll say somethin’ nice t’ them first!”  
          “…very well.” Hanzo didn’t need this in his life right now, but here he was, humoring the man. All he had to do was pay, leave, and then never return. It should have been simple. But, lo and behold, here he was. “I am honestly impressed that a flower can attain such a shade of green.” He reflected later that the bouquet even remarkably resembled Genji’s current hairstyle.  
          “Now that’s more like it. Why don’t’cha come on over t’ th’ counter an’ I’ll ring you up.” Jesse held onto the flowers with one hand as he sauntered over to the cash register, his other hand tucked in his pocket and thumb through his belt loop. The spurs on his cowboy boots made their presence obnoxiously obvious as he moved. He gently set the flowers down on the counter and started adding up the price with the aid of a small calculator on the other side of the register. Jesse looked up when he heard the almost inaudible footfalls that he assumed meant Hanzo was approaching.

          Hanzo eyed the calculator, almost suspiciously. “Cowboy, what is the purpose of your…calculations? Surely you have a more efficient was of conducting business.”  
          Jesse ignored the jab at his professional practices in favor of being both offended and disappointed that this handsome man was refusing to use his first name. “‘Cowboy’? I sure hope that wasn’t s’posed to be an insult, pardner. I am what I am. But, really now, you can call me Jesse.”  
          The Japanese man briefly looked up, but said nothing before directing his gaze back towards the calculator. “How much do I owe you?”  
          “Ah, well, normally these’d be a tad more, but I’ll be givin’ you th’ friends and family discount today. So, that’ll be eight dollars.” Jesse grinned as he spoke.  
          “…I am neither your friend nor your family.” Hanzo’s flat expression morphed into confusion and Jesse would be damned if that face did not look good on the man.  
          Jesse chuckled softly. “Well, no, you ain’t exactly that… but, I’d like t’ get t’ know you a little bit better.” He was not entirely sure whether or not he winked, but at least he managed to refrain from adding a ‘sweetheart’ to the end.

          Hanzo appeared to be at a loss for words for several seconds. “I… Thank you for your generosity. It is greatly appreciated.” He dug his credit card out of his wallet, refusing to acknowledge how his fingers brushed Jesse’s as the card was passed.  
          Jesse, on the other hand, sincerely hoped Hanzo couldn’t see that he was blushing because of the slight contact. He swiped the card through the machine and scribbled something on the bottom of the receipt before sliding both things across the counter.  
          Hanzo swiftly replaced his credit card in his wallet, but took time to examine the receipt. “What are these extra numbers on the bottom?” He asked, glancing up to meet Jesse’s eyes.

          Whatever incredibly smooth reply Jesse had planned was promptly forgotten as they made eye contact. “Well… That there’s my phone number. I’d like t’ hear how the flowers go over with your brother. Or… y’know, if you ever wanna just talk.”  
          Hanzo considered this for a several moments before nodding and folding the receipt into his wallet. “Very well. Thank you. Goodbye, cowboy.” He picked up the bouquet of distastefully green flowers and turned to leave.  
          “See you ‘round, darlin’!” Jesse called after him, tipping his hat. He definitely wasn’t checking out the man’s ass as he left. Well, maybe just a bit. That suit looked good on him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which genji fucks up on accident and on purpose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first of all, let me just say like holy cow y'all i was not expecting this much attention for my little au !!!! i'm over the moon like thank you all so much for the amazing comments and all of the kudos! i just hope i can keep producing the same quality of content ! 
> 
> So ! here's chapter 2 ! this one is mainly focused on Genji and Hanzo and building up to the entire point of this fic ! i hope y'all all enjoy it !

          Hanzo left his apartment earlier than usual in hopes of arriving at the office with enough time to place the flowers on Genji’s desk before the younger Shimada reported for work. Having the landlord inform him on the way downstairs that it was only Tuesday did not do anything to lift his spirits about the day. Hanzo left a small note with the disgusting bouquet that read: “Congratulations on the promotion, brother.” He nodded in approval of his handiwork before retreating to his own office to get as much work done as possible. He even allowed himself a small smile at the quiet of the entire floor.

         The quiet did not last long. It was half an hour at most.

         “ _ANIJAAAAAAAAAAA_!” Genji called as he all but sprinted into Hanzo’s office, bumping the doorframe with his hip as he skidded to a halt. “ _Anjia_!”  
          Hanzo sighed and rose to his feet when his brother entered the room, ‘entered’ being a mild word in this case. “Genji, what is it?”  
          Genji promptly ran to the other side of the desk and enveloped his brother in a bone crushing hug before the other had time to react. “The flowers are so beautiful, Hanzo! Thank you! I was worried you might be annoyed that we have the same job…”  
          “I am proud of you, brother.” Hanzo said, scowling slightly despite the praise he was giving.  
          “How did you find them? And when? Brother, we found out about the promotion last night!” Genji partially released Hanzo and held him at arms’ length.  
          “…a very strange man owns a shop that keeps very strange hours.” Hanzo said, making a mental note to report the flower success.  
          “Thank you, Hanzo! Thank you!” If Genji’s smile could have been any brighter, it surely would have blinded Hanzo then and there. “Oh, shit, I have to get back to work. Later, _anija_!” He made a peace sign at his brother before leaving the room.

          “Language, Genji!” Hanzo called after him before sighing and turning back to sit at his desk. He pulled out his phone and quickly texted the cowboy a message that simply read: “He enjoyed them.” Hanzo set the phone down next to his computer and resumed his work.  
          He paused, startled slightly, when his phone rang to alert him of an incoming text. Multiple texts, actually.

          ‘ **“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”:** well, shoot, darling, you woke me up. not that I’m complaining.  
**“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”:** glad your bro liked the flowers! thanks for the report!  
**“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”:** feel free to drop on by or text anytime! ;) ’

          Hanzo scoffed. _What does that cowboy think he’s doing, sleeping so late?_ He thought about responding, but after several minutes of considering what to say, he decided his time would be better spent working.

* * *

          Incredibly surprisingly, the office managed to go without incident until the Thursday of that next week. Hanzo was now certain it was Thursday. Regardless of the fact that he was correct for the first time in longer than he would like to admit, the office fell apart. Almost literally, in fact. And Genji may have cried. Just a little.  
          He had just been trying to make some copies of a report. The task wouldn’t have been difficult if some of his friends hadn’t come by to reminisce about their latest bar adventure. Genji leaned back on the copier, waving his arms excitedly as he spoke. Through what must have been a vengeful act of God, Genji managed to hit the right combinations to open access to the printer ink. And then subsequently eject the cartridge. The impact of the landing caused the cartridge to suddenly and explosively rupture, spraying ink all over everyone and everything nearby. Hanzo had the displeasure, or perhaps it was pleasure, of watching the catastrophe from the comfort of his office.  
          Genji scrambled about, trying to fix the mess, but as he saw just how far the ink had spread, he grew worried. Hanzo couldn’t hear, but he had no doubt that the words Genji’s mouth was forming were not workplace appropriate. However, watching his usually extremely coordinated brother fumble about did bring a small smile to his face. Lena would need to hear about this.

          At first, Hanzo had found Lena (nickname “Tracer”) to be rather obnoxious. She worked a few floors below them, and he honestly could not remember how they first met. But, she had somehow managed to stick out his no-nonsense personality and eventually grew on him. And she absolutely enjoyed hearing all the details of Hanzo and Genji’s brotherly feud. Surely she would enjoy hearing about Genji’s blunder.

          Hanzo quickly typed out and sent a text that read: “you will not fucking believe what Genji just did”. Not expecting to receive an answer until much later, he was suspicious when he received one almost immediately. He felt his stomach drop when he saw the message on the screen.

          ‘ **“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”:** well, shoot, darling. I didn’t think you was one for profanity. I sure wasn’t expecting this to be our first conversation topic but now I’m interested. what’d he do??? ’

          Hanzo read over the message multiple times, making sure it actually said what he thought it did. How could this have happened? He was sure he’d texted Lena. She was the only person he texted frequently, so he did as he usually did and tapped on his most recent conversation… Oh. That was how. He had forgotten that he’d last texted McCree. Double-checking his error, it was made painfully clear. There, sitting one above **“Tracer”** was **“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”**. Hanzo groaned quietly.

* * *

         Jesse hadn’t been expecting Hanzo to text him, and especially not so casually. He wasn’t complaining, just surprised. For some reason, he found the idea of Hanzo swearing to be very appealing. He was more than slightly disappointed when the reply was almost professional.

          ‘ **The Hottest Gotdamn Man I Ever Seen:** I’m sorry, cowboy. That was meant for someone else. ’

          Jesse shoved aside his great disappointment to remind himself to change the contact name (He had been meaning to do this as soon as he thought of something better, and finally, he had). After accomplishing this, he frowned at his phone until it suddenly lit up with a new message.

          ‘ **HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3:** Although, I suppose it would be the responsible thing to do if I shared with you. ’

          Jesse’s heart soared.

 

\------------------ (A transcription of the texts) -----------------------

 

          ‘ **“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”:** darling, I’d gladly listen to anything you wanna say.  
**“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”:** er, read anything too.  
**HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3:** He absolutely destroyed the copier. Ink is all over everything. Watching him attempt to clean is fucking hilarious.  
**HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3:** *quite amusing  
**“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”:** sounds like quite the accomplishment there. maybe he needs some more congratulatory flowers.  
**“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”:** and no need to censor yourself round me  
**HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3:** Noted. Also, no. He does not require flowers for his failure.  
**“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”:** damn. that’s too bad. I was hoping to see you round soon.  
**HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3:** …we’ll see.

 

\---------------------- (End transcription) ------------------------

 

          Jesse wasn’t sure if he could be happier in that moment. Sure, it wasn’t a definite answer, but Hanzo didn’t say he’d never be back. In fact, that almost sounded like a promise of sorts. What a lucky man he was today.

* * *

          Hanzo wasn’t sure why he indulged the man. There was indeed something exciting about the prospect of meeting again, but he chose to ignore that feeling. Mostly due to the introspection he knew it would cause him and he had far too much work for that.

          It would end up being several weeks before Hanzo and Jesse saw each other again.

          Another seemingly perfect and calm workday was interrupted when the boss’s secretary appeared. She stood between Genji and Hanzo’s offices, hesitating.  
          “The boss would like to see both Misters Shimada in his office at their earliest convenience.” She spoke quickly, sounding nervous, and left even quicker.  
          Genji and Hanzo glanced at each other as they emerged from their offices. Neither said a word, but both knew they were thinking the same question. They paused at the door to their boss’s office until the secretary waved them in.  
          “You wanted to see us, sir?” Hanzo asked.  
          “Ah, yes. Please, gentlemen, have a seat.” The man behind the large desk in the center of the room gestured towards two chairs in front of him. The Shimadas promptly sat. “It has come to my attention that one of you is up for a promotion.”

          Hanzo sat up slightly straighter in his chair, but Genji spoke first.  
          “Already? Sir, I’m deeply honored. I know it’s only been a short time since--”  
          “Sir, I do not doubt your decision, but Genji is irresponsible and chatty. I would not wish to see my brother put in a position to fail.” Hanzo interrupted him, almost looking panicked.  
          “Gentlemen, gentlemen, let’s not jump to conclusions here. Now, as I was going to say… Hanzo, you’ve been doing some excellent work for us for quite some time. But, considering you were so willing to offer a character reference for your brother, perhaps I should ask him for one on you. Well, I was going to ask anyway. Genji, can you think of any reason your brother would not benefit from this?” The boss looked towards the younger Shimada.

          Genji scowled, but only briefly. His look of displeasure was quickly replaced by one of feigned concern. “No… Well, the only thing I can think of, sir, is that he stress drinks. I guess you could say he has a bit of a problem.”  
          “Really? A drinking problem? Not exactly what I expected from you, Hanzo. I’m disappointed. Genji, has he ever arrived at the office while intoxicated?” The boss glanced over at Hanzo, who sat in stunned silence.  
          “Who’s to say, sir, honestly? I haven’t noticed, but I don’t see him every day. It’s impossible to rule it out completely.” Genji frowned thoughtfully.  
          “Genji--!” Hanzo protested.  
          “I’m sorry, _anija_. I would not wish to see my brother put in a position to fail.” Genji’s voice was worried, but Hanzo could see the twinkle in his eyes, a twinkle usually reserved for the execution of a prank.

          “Thank you for your time. Genji, I would like to continue this conversation. Hanzo, I will meet with you later. You’re dismissed.” The boss grinned shallowly.  
It took every fiber in Hanzo’s being to not storm out of the room. He did allow himself to look as though he wanted to, however.

          Genji had the audacity to wave farewell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really like the idea of a strange and inexplicable friendship between hanzo and tracer but that might just be me
> 
> i hope it lived up to the first chapter ! once again, i still don't have a beta so if you see anything at all please let me know so i can fix it ! have a great day, guys! Thanks for reading and I'll see you next time !


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which it just gets gayer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello hello ! I'm back with chapter 3 !  
> once again, thank y'all so much for all the kudos and such, they mean the world !
> 
> we finally arrive at the flowers  
> (it seems kind of short, sorry

          If Jesse McCree was being honest, he had been napping when the front door of his shop was violently thrown open. But, since napping on the job is bad business, he would say he was adding stock numbers.

          The first thing he noticed was that Hanzo Shimada looked downright infuriated. The second thing was that Hanzo almost appeared to be a much larger man when he was angry. Jesse couldn’t help but take a few steps back when he saw the look on the other man’s face.  
          “Well, howdy, darlin’. Nice t’ see you again. What can I—"  
          Hanzo slammed his hands down on the counter, cutting him off. “How do you say ‘fuck you’ in flower?” He growled, eyebrows furrowed so deeply that Jesse swore they were about to drop off his face.  
          “Flowers don’t have a language, darlin’.” Jesse chuckled, using humor to distract himself from the thrill that went down his spine at the way Hanzo spat out the word ‘fuck’. “You look like you’re about’a pop a blood vessel there. Care t’ share?”  
          “Can it be done or not?” Hanzo spat, his hands curling into fists on the counter.  
          “Well, yeah, darlin’, technically speakin’, it can be done. Flower symbolism an’ all that. Now, there ain’t just one flower that’ll do it.” Jesse began to wave and motion around with his flesh hand as he spoke. “You’ll need some geraniums, which symbolize stupidity, first off. An’ then you’ll want some foxglove; those are for insecurity. Throw in some meadowsweet, which means uselessness. You’ll need some yella’ carnations, too. Those guys just say “you’ve disappointed me”. Then, you’ll top it all off with some orange lilies, which honest to God just stand for hatred. Does that sound about what you’re goin’ for, sweetheart?” He smirked slightly, mentally patting himself on the back for managing to go this long before calling the other man ‘sweetheart’.

          If the pet name bothered Hanzo, he was already far too enraged for it to show. A cruel smile did tug at the edges of his mouth, however, and Jesse wasn’t sure if he was terrified of it or if he _really_ liked it.

          “ _Hai_.” Hanzo almost barked. “That will do nicely. Your help is greatly appreciated.”  
          “I gotta go get them flowers from the back; we don’t normally have ‘fuck you’ bouquets prearranged. Maybe we could have a good ol’ fashioned walk an’ talk? I’m just dyin’ t’ hear what’s got you all in a tizzy, darlin’.” Jesse moved a few things from the counter top into a drawer, in case any other customers came in during his absence, before turning towards the back of the shop.  
          Hanzo started after him, crossing his arms in front of his chest. The cruel smile was gone, now replaced by a look of righteous displeasure. “…I suppose it would only be fair to enlighten you at this point.” He huffed.  
          “Enlighten away, Shimada-san. I’m all ears.” Jesse entered the storage room and crouched down where he could reach several shelves without moving excessively.

          “It’s Genji.” Hanzo sighed, leaning against one of the shelves near Jesse. “We were both summoned to discuss an upcoming promotion I had earned. And when Genji was asked if there was any reason I should not be promoted, that little shit told our boss I have a drinking problem!”  
          Jesse glanced up, a concerned look on his face. “Well, uh… D’you?”  
          “…what?”  
          “D’you actually have a drinkin' problem? Because we can get you help, Shimada-san. This ain’t th’ end of th’ world. You just gotta—”  
          “No!” Hanzo protested, interrupting him. “No, I do not have a drinking problem, cowboy! I drink a perfectly reasonable amount for someone in my position!”  
          “Alright, alright, darlin’. I’m mighty sorry. I didn’t mean t’ offend.” Jesse tipped his hat apologetically. “Carry on with your story.”

          “Yes. Where was I…? Oh, right. I may have said some harsh words about Genji before he decided to betray me, but it was nothing the entire company did not already know. He had no right to say something that got me fired!” Hanzo broke off from the shelf and began pacing behind Jesse.  
          “Woah, woah, Shimada-san, you got fired?!” Jesse turned to look at Hanzo so quickly that he was certain he gave himself whiplash. “Are you ok? Is there anythin’ I can do?”  
          “I would very much appreciate it if you would stop interrupting me. I was not finished.” He scowled and waited until Jesse quietly returned to searching for flowers before continuing. “Yes, I was fired. But that only occurred after I had been dismissed from the office. Our boss informed me of the rest a short time ago… Genji argued until it was agreed to let me keep my job. Although… I am sure I have no hope of that promotion now…”

          Jesse rose to his feet and turned around to face Hanzo, his arms full of various flowers. “That was awful kind of him t’ fight for your job, darlin’.”  
          “I am aware and grateful.” Hanzo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “He deserves a token of thanks for that, but this is also his fault in the first place. Thus…” He gestured towards the multitude of flowers.  
         “…the ‘fuck you’ bouquet.” Jesse grinned. “Darlin’, you’re brilliant.”  
          “Thank you.” Hanzo said with a small grin that punched a hole straight through Jesse’s heart.

          “W-Well, we oughta be getting’ back out there t’ wrap up this masterpiece!” Honestly, he could have done it all in the storeroom, but Jesse was starting to become restless after spending so much time in a confined space with the most attractive man he had ever met in his life.  
          Hanzo nodded before following him back into the shop and then returned to the opposite side of the counter. “…how much would you guess I owe you for this one, Mr. McCree?”

          Jesse was so stricken by the sound of Hanzo saying his last name, correctly, even, that he dropped several flowers onto the floor. Hanzo raised a questioning eyebrow at him, and Jesse quickly crouched to gather the fallen flowers before words could be spoken. He took several deep breaths while on the floor before rising back to his feet and continuing work on the bouquet.  
          “I ain’t entirely sure about that one yet, Shimada-san.” Jesse said, nonchalantly shrugging as he adjusted some petals. He was certain his cheeks were still flushed.  
          “Please, you can call me ‘Hanzo’.”  
          “Only if you call me ‘Jesse’, sweetheart.” Jesse said with a wink, trying to calm his beating heart.  
          “…Very well then.” Hanzo said with a small sigh. “I would appreciated an estimate, _Jesse_.”

          Jesse felt his knees go weak and he almost swore aloud. Damn the man! He had to be doing this on purpose; no one just spoke with that much of a purr in their voice. He could feel Hanzo looking at him expectantly, but Jesse was currently too frazzled to formulate a response.  
          “…Jesse? Are you all right?”  
          “N-Never better, darlin’!” Jesse finally sputtered, no doubt in his mind that his face was entirely bright red. “The bouquet, right… Well, Hanzo,” lord almighty, it felt good to call him by his name, “I like to think myself a charitable man. An’ this right here seems like a worthy cause.”  
          “…what exactly are you saying?” Hanzo asked hesitantly, eyeing the rather large bouquet that had been assembled.  
          “I’m sayin’ that this bad boy here is free of charge. An’ you don’t have t’ pay none for th’ flowers either.” Jesse McCree was back on his game. Granted, it wasn’t the best line he had ever dropped, but it was a fairly impressive recovery.

          “Your use of double negatives in that sentence makes it very confusing.” Hanzo said gruffly, the faintest of blush tinting his cheeks. He chose to ignore the first thing Jesse had said, mostly because of its sheer absurdity.  
          “Look, what I’m tryin’ t’ say here, Hanzo, is don’t give me any money. Just take ‘em.” Jesse slid the flowers closer to Hanzo’s side of the counter.  
          Hanzo stared at the bundle for several moments before collecting it in his arms. “…thank you. You are a generous man, Jesse McCree.”

_Nope…just a fool in love._ Jesse thought as he watched the object of his affections head towards the door.  
          Hanzo managed to open the door despite his arms being otherwise unavailable, but then paused in the doorway, looking back towards the counter. “There must be some way I can repay you for this.” He called across the store.  
          Jesse took a chance. “Maybe we could grab dinner sometime, just th’ two of us, an' call it even?” As soon as the words left his mouth, his mind was scrambling for a way to take them back.  
          Hanzo smiled, although it could hardly be seen from behind the flowers he held. “I would very much enjoy that, cowboy.” And with that he turned and left.

 

          Jesse almost fainted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok ok ok so technically i could end it here, but I kind of have an idea for another chapter to wrap it up. it might be more satisfying ??? i'd like to hear what you think ! 
> 
> also ! if you'd like to send me any like suggestions or ideas for other fics ?? I've realized I really like writing these dumb things lmao so if you wanna send any ideas, you can either do that here, or head on over to my tumblr, [ SymmetricMusician](http://symmetricmusician.tumblr.com/), and shoot me an ask !


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which everyone gets a drink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys for being sooo super patient with me (college work has really piled up)  
> that being said, I've decided to divide up the "last chapter" into however many parts it has to be so you guys aren't waiting too long for it to finish. (so, i really hope the breaks aren't too choppy or anything!)
> 
> so, here's part 1 of however many !
> 
> (the formatting of this one is a little different because i argued with the editing tool for half an hour before i finally just gave up)

            In the end, Genji didn’t possess the knowledge to even remotely understand what the flowers were supposed to mean. He had rushed into Hanzo’s office to enthuse about how beautiful the bouquet was and just how oh-so appreciative he was of the gift. Hanzo briefly thought to correct Genji’s joy, but when he looked at the smile on his brother’s face, he found he didn’t have the heart to do so. The knowledge would simply have to be shared between just him and Jesse.

            Hanzo allowed Genji to thank him profusely until it was really too much of a burden. With a deep sigh, he attempted to usher the younger Shimada through the door.

            “Genji… please, you’ve said quite enough…” Hanzo said as he, with little success, pushed his brother out of the office.

            “But,  _anijaaaa…_  I don’t want to go! I’ll have to go back to work! And the boss said he’d cut my pay if I got caught “fraternizing” again… I’ll be so bored!” Genji whined, leaning at an angle that made it near impossible for Hanzo to move him. “I’d much rather sit in here and talk with you, Hanzo!”

 

Hanzo faltered and the momentary lack of resistance caused Genji to stumble. The elder Shimada looked at his brother incredulously. “You think I would allow you to… to just sit here and chat after you tried to get me fired?”

            “But… Hanzo, I didn’t know he would try to fire you… And, to be fair, you tried to get me in trouble too! I’m not mad anymore, though! And, I thought the flowers meant that you weren’t mad either…” Genji raised an eyebrow slightly, confused at the perceived mixed signals his brother was giving off.

            “No, Genji, they—” Hanzo paused as he suddenly began forming an idea. If he wanted to have any success at all in helping to cure his brother’s bad habits, he would have to get Genji to start actually doing his job every day. And, Hanzo supposed quietly in the back of his mind, it would have made their parents happy to see the brothers spending time with each other. He also figured that it might do him some good.

 

            Hanzo cleared his throat to excuse his temporary silence. “Never mind. You may stay in here, Genji—”

            “Oh, thank you brother! Oh my God, I would have been so bored! I’m so glad you aren’t mad, I—” Genji frowned when he was interrupted.

            “You may stay only if you promise to finally do that paperwork you have been putting off.”

            “Hanzooooo!” Genji whined, his posture deflating. “I don’t… Fine. Whatever!”

            When a dejected Genji left his office, Hanzo had no reason to believe that the younger Shimada would return. Thus, he was incredibly surprised when Genji sauntered back in, paperwork and pen in hand, and sat down on the floor. Hanzo grinned slightly before sitting back at his desk and resuming an unfinished task.

 

            After about an hour of blissful silence, Genji decided that he required a break from his dreaded paperwork.

            “Saaaay, Hanzo?” He asked, looking up towards his brother. “I’m going with a couple of buddies and their friends to play poker tonight. Do you maybe want to come with me?”

            “No thank you.” Hanzo politely declined without even looking up.

            “Oh well… I figured it was kind of a long shot anyway.” Genji said with a shrug. “Maybe next week?”

            “…if you do not continue working, brother, I will make you leave.”

           

            Genji would proceed to do his paperwork on the floor of Hanzo’s office for as long as they both continued to work for the company.

 

 

            It had been a spectacularly poor night of gambling for Genji. The beginning of the evening had actually gone quite well, which had led to overconfidence and ultimately to the loss of everything he had won and then some. And, naturally, the only logical thing to do after losing money was to go out for drinks with the poker group. Genji figured that this loss of money would at least be justified by the gain of alcohol.

            Genji was halfway through his second glass of whatever it was he was drinking, (he honestly had no idea), when someone slid into the seat next to him.

 

            “Seems t’ me that you’re havin’ some tough luck today, pardner.” The man said, swirling the beer in his bottle as he spoke.

            “Yeah…” Genji snorted. “Just a bit. You’re, uh… McCree, right?” He’d never exactly spoken to the man who dressed like a discount cowboy, but he’d heard others enough to at least pick up the name.

            “That’d be me. Jesse McCree’s th’ name, bein’ mediocre at poker’s th’ game.” Jesse chuckled and tipped his hat. “Can’t say I remember us havin’ talked much before. You are…?”

            “Genji. Genji Shimada. It’s nice to meet you.” They exchanged a quick handshake before Genji went back to nursing his drink.

 

            Jesse scratched his beard pensively. There was no way there was more than one Genji Shimada in the area. He had to at least ask; for Pete’s sake, the man even had the green hair Hanzo had mentioned once. “You, ah… You wouldn’t happen t’ be th’ younger brother of one Hanzo Shimada, would you?”

            “…I am.” Genji confirmed hesitantly. “I’m sorry, but, how do you know Hanzo? He doesn’t exactly have many friends.” He laughed, and Jesse figured that even if the statement were true, apparently it was a good-natured joke between brothers. At least, he hoped so.

            “Well, I own a little flower shop off 17th, an'—” Jesse wasn’t even given the chance to finish.

            “You’re the one brother buys the flowers from!” Genji exclaimed, quickly turning his whole body to face the other man. “The…oh, what did he say…? The strange man who owns a shop that keeps very strange hours or something like that!”

            “…he called me strange?” Jesse asked, trying and failing to keep the offense out of his voice.

            “Well, yeah, I think so. But, obviously he doesn’t think you’re too strange. I mean, he went back again.” Genji said with a shrug. “Which reminds me… How much did the flowers he brought me today cost? I don’t mean to pry, but there were a lot of flowers.”

 

            “Oh, those? I gave them t' him for free.” Jesse said nonchalantly, waving it off to look like no big deal.

            “You did not!” Genji gasped, his dark eyebrows flying up towards his contrastingly bright hairline. “McCree! My brother has money! What the hell? Why don’t I get free flowers? Damn, Hanzo. What’s your secret…?”  

            “I… I hadn’t done my good deed of th’ day yet.” That seemed like a good enough substitute for ‘your brother is drop-dead gorgeous and I’m trying to get in his pants,’ Jesse figured.

            “Shit, man… Give me a minute to process this.” Genji turned back to the bar and ordered another drink.

 

            Jesse chuckled under his breath before turning his back to Genji and pulling out his phone. He texted Hanzo: “so I just met Genji” and an impossibly short amount of time later, his phone lit up with a response.

            ‘ **HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3 <3**: …I’m sorry what’

 

            Genji was startled when his phone vibrated in his pocket and was even more startled when he saw the text was from Hanzo.

            ‘ **Hanbro** : Where the hell are you right now?’

 

 

\-------A transcription of Hanzo and Genji’s texts ------

 

            ‘ **Carrot** : The first text in months from you and this is it???

             **Hanbro** : It has not been months. Where are you??

             **Carrot** : At the bar. Why??????¿?

             **Hanbro** : No reason.

             **Carrot** : …ok?

             **Carrot** : OH SHIT HE TEXTED YOU DIDN”T HE?!!!!

             **Hanbro** : …who? I don’t know what you mean.

             **Carrot** : Don’t play dumb with me, Hanzo. I can see McCree texting you right now.

             **Carrot** : Oh my God he has your name as “HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3 <3”

             **Carrot** : Are you dating????

             **Carrot** : Hanzo??

             **Carrot** : For fuck’s sake, Hanzo, stop texting him and reply to me

             **Carrot** : If you don’t answer me, I’ll tell everyone you’re dating a cowboy

             **Hanbro** : Genji, please.

             **Hanbro** : I am dating no one.

             **Carrot** : Ok but that’s like a ‘not yet’ right??

             **Carrot** : Because this dude is totally into you

             **Carrot** : You’ve noticed right? Please tell me you’ve noticed.

             **Carrot** : It’s very important to me that you’ve noticed this

             **Carrot** : He’s literally smiling like an idiot while texting you

             **Carrot** : Brother, please date him.

             **Carrot** : And then teach him how to dress.

             **Hanbro** : Genji, PLEASE.

             **Hanbro** : This is none of your business. Leave him alone.

             **Carrot** : Hanzo, I’m your /brother/!!

             **Hanbro** : Do not harass my friend, /brother/.’

 

\---End---

 

         

            If Genji had a nickel for every time he did what Hanzo told him to do, he would have approximately 10 cents.

 

 

\-----A transcription of Hanzo and Jesse’s texts (at the same time as Hanzo and Genji’s)---

 

            ‘  **“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”** : so I just met Genji

             **HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3 <3**: …I’m sorry what

             **“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”** : yeah we play poker together apparently. just met him at the bar

             **HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3 <3**: That does not surprise me. About the bar, that is. Is he behaving?

             **“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”** : I’d assume so. not sure on how drunk he’s planning to get tho

             **HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3 <3**: Make sure he is safe.

             **HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3 <3**: Please, Jesse. He may be frustrating but he is still my little brother.

             **“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”** : well, shoot, darling. how can I argue when you’re asking like that? that’s real sweet of you to worry about him.

             **HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3 <3**: What else are brothers for?

           

**“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”** : mighty big words from someone who looked about ready to commit siblicide just yesterday

             **HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3 <3**: …admittedly I am quick to anger, but I still feel I was perfectly justified.

             **HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3 <3**: ……….although….. I must confess that I had attempted to ruin what seemed to be a promotion for him just moments before he ruined mine…

             **“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”** : Hanzo… :///

             **HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3 <3**: One moment. Genji is insistent that I pay attention to him

             **“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”** : alright sweetheart. I’ll be waiting ;)

.   .   .

             **HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3 <3**: As I was saying, I feel sorry for attempting to… throw him in front of the bus (is that the phrase?) so quickly, but…

             **“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”** : but what? (and it’s ‘under the bus’ darling)

             **HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3 <3**: I am unsure how to apologize. I believe he thinks the matter is behind us and I do not want to upset him.

             **“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”** : you don’t want your baby brother to think badly of you?

             **HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3 <3**: Exactly.

             **“Bad Ass Mother Fucker”** : that’s mighty admirable, Hanzo. You both mighta messed up, but you’re trying to fix it.

             **HOT DAMN-ZO <3 <3 <3**: …thank you for that, Jesse. We will talk later.

 

\---- End ----

 

 

            Jesse and Genji both whirled around in their seats to face each other simultaneously. “You’re texting him too!” They both exclaimed. Jesse motioned for Genji to talk first.

            “You gave Hanzo the flowers because you think he’s hot.” Genji said matter-of-factly, not even a hint of accusation in his tone. “Which is… totally unfair, because I’m way hotter than he is and I never get free flowers from stores.”

            “Guilty as charged…” Jesse mumbled, his cheeks tinting red. “…though, not sure how much of a chance I really have.” He could hope, but there was always a possibility he was reading too much into the situation. He’d done it before.

            “What? You’re joking, right? You seriously think  _Hanzo_  is out of your league? Sure, you’re not the only person who’s ever told me he’s hot, but… My brother has a shit personality. I can say that because he’s my brother and I love him, but—”

            “Now, hold on there!” Jesse protested sharply, unable to stop himself. “You don’t say that! Hanzo has a perfectly fine personality. Sure, he can be frigid an’ angry, but… he’s charmin’…” He trailed off, starting to mutter towards the end.

 

            It took every fiber in Genji’s being to keep him from bursting into laughter. In the end, he was unable to hold back a small snicker. Then, however, he glanced up and saw what looked like the beginnings of furious offense in Jesse’s eyes. At the defense of his problematic, asshole brother, no less. Genji absolutely lost it, doubled over in laughter.

            “What’s so funny?” Jesse’s face was scrunched up in a strange expression that seemed to be a combination of a pout and a scowl.

            Genji held up a finger to beg Jesse to wait a moment while he caught his breath and composed himself. Or, tried to anyway. “McCree… Man, you’ve got it so bad! When’s the wedding?! Haha!” He took several seconds to laugh again. “Look, McCree, you definitely have a chance. Trust me. He called you his friend, which doesn’t happen lightly. That means at the very least, he likes you as a person.”

 

            Jesse’s spirits were lifted with the knowledge that Hanzo considered them to be friends. Granted, he would very much like for them to be considered more than friends, but he would take what he could get. “Well, that’s reassurin’. I think. I did get him t' agree t' dinner, too…”

            “No fucking way! You could have mentioned that before I started analyzing his every word! If you’ve already planned a date…” Genji shook his head in disbelief. “Be good to my brother, Jesse McCree. Like I said, his personality’s shit and he’s an asshole, and sometimes I think he might hate me… But, I’m sure he’s a good man. Maybe deep, deep, deep, deep, deep—”

            “Genji.”

            “—deep inside. Ok, ok. He tries. And we’re family. That’s gotta count for something. I’m gonna go now, though. There’s someone further down the bar that I’d really like to meet.” Genji hopped off his stool and straightened his shirt.

 

            “He doesn’t hate you.” Jesse blurted out.

            “…what?” Genji paused in the midst of fixing his hair.

            “Hanzo doesn’t hate you. He told me.” Well, not in those exact words, Jesse added mentally. “He’s just worried about what he thinks is best for you an’ your future. An’ I reckon he ain’t that good at expressin’ it.” 

            “…no shit, really? Huh…” Genji scratched at his chin thoughtfully. “Well, he’s terrible at getting his point across, you’re right. But, I’ll have to talk to him, I guess. Thank you, Jesse.” He flashed a bright grin before confidently making his way down the bar.

 

            Jesse turned his attention back towards his drinking, chuckling softly. Genji seemed like a good man. Impulsive and talkative, but a good man. He briefly wondered how and why the brothers’ relationship started to decline. Maybe he would find out one day.

 

 

            Meanwhile, Hanzo was pacing back and forth in his apartment, panicking. Maybe panicking was a strong word. Nevertheless, he felt very uneasy at the thought that Jesse and Genji had met. The worst part was that Hanzo wasn’t even sure why. He usually had absolutely no feelings towards who Genji did or didn’t know. But with Jesse…

            He simply couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that they now knew each other. Genji was going to disastrously fuck this up for him; he could sense it. Now that Genji knew his…

 

            …his what? What was Genji going to fuck up? Sure, Jesse had invited him to dinner (just the two of them), but he hadn’t called it a date. Perhaps Hanzo was just thinking too much about it. Jesse might just not be terribly good at making friends. He maybe was just unaware of what the implications of his request had been. But…there was what Genji had said.

            Jesse apparently thought he was hot. Hanzo wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Actually, he was but he was also sure that he didn’t want to admit that to himself yet.

            As his thoughts fell deeper and deeper into the mess at hand, Hanzo decided he could use a drink. Maybe several.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (this is your scheduled reminder that I do not have a beta, so if you see any errors and want to point them out, please do!)
> 
> i hope that it makes sense how the issue over the job kind of died... i don't think they'll be actually discussing it in the rest of this fic, so you can imagine that goes however you like ! (unless i change my mind that is lmao)  
> this also should be the last of the text transcriptions (sorry if they're annoying; i couldn't think of another way to include those conversations)
> 
> this may go exactly where you think it's going, or it may not
> 
> y'all's feedback is so appreciated like it makes my day ! thank you for all of your support of my little fic and patience with me as i do my best to finish it ! see y'all next time !


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which things are resolved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello hello everyone ! I'm sorry this has been such a long and terrible wait, but I've finally finished the last chapter! There will be more notes at the end, but I sincerely hope that you all enjoy this last chapter as much as you've enjoyed the rest of the story! (((I feel like I use everyone's names too much, but I don't want to be the annoying author that only refers to everyone by their hair colors OTL))))  
> (Zenyatta makes an appearance in this chapter and I suppose you can call it genyatta if you want to)

            Jesse McCree was just pulling out his wallet to settle his tab before leaving when a hand clamped down on his prosthetic arm. Startled, he quickly turned to face the person that the offending hand was attached to. He visibly relaxed after realizing that it was only Genji.  
            “McCree! McCree! McCree, buddy, hey. Hey, McCree!” Genji called, leaning into Jesse’s shoulder.  
            “Well, howdy there, pardner. What happened t’ your new friend at th’ end of th’ bar?” Jesse glanced past Genji to try and find the other man he had been talking to.  
            “I’m going back, don’t worry. I just… Shit. Why did I come over here…?” Genji retreated slightly, crossing his arms. He started mumbling to himself in rapid Japanese while glancing at the floor. “Oh! Oh, yeah, yeah, I remember! I was gonna offer… Yeah! Ok! So, when’s your date with Hanbro?”

            Jesse McCree simultaneously realized four things. The first: Genji Shimada was drunk (not terribly, but still drunk). The second: That he had never actually scheduled the date. The third: Either he was drunker than he thought or Genji had actually said ‘Hanbro’ (and the former was unlikely considering how little he’d had to drink). The fourth: A second, stronger realization that there were no plans in place.

            He groaned rather loudly, attracting the attention of several nearby people. “ _Fuck_ …!”  
            “Woah, woah, M-hic!-Cree! No need to practice. Hanzo… Well… Actually, Hanzo likes his guys loud. Maybe you should practice your screaming. Wait…” Genji looked       entirely too thoughtful for the situation.  
            “Now, hold on there—”  
            “Maybe it’s Hanzo that’s loud. I heard him having a one night stand once when we were younger. And we didn’t even share a wall.”  
            “H-H-Hold on, Genji!!” Jesse sputtered, his face redder than his flannel shirt.  
            “…what? Should I not be discussing Hanzo’s previous sex life with you before the first date? Speaking of which, that is…when, again?”  
            “That’s what I’m tryin’ t’ tell you, pardner. I forgot t’ set a day!” Jesse ran his metal hand through his hair, a strand or two getting caught in the mechanisms. He growled slightly in frustration and settled for ripping the strands out.

            “McCree, McCree, McCree…” Genji huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “McCree! How could you?! Rookie mistake! We gotta fix this… Um…” He paced back and forth down the bar for several seconds before snapping his fingers and returning to Jesse’s side. “I’ve got it. I hope you’re sober enough to drive because you, me, and my new best friend are going to Hanzo’s.”  
            “You’re drunk.” Jesse offered flatly, looking Genji squarely in the eye. Well, looking down to look Genji squarely in the eye.  
            “Well, yeah, that’s why I need –hic!- you to drive. But this is a great idea, trust me.” Genji held his hands up in front of his chest in a manner that he sincerely hoped was reassuring.  
            “I can’t believe I’m agreein’ t’ this… There’s gotta be an easier way but… Fine.” Jesse sighed, picking his hat up off the bar and replacing it on his head. “Get your friend.”

            “ZENYATTA!!!” Genji shouted towards the end of the bar. A small bald head shot up and turned in their direction. A smile that almost rivaled Genji’s in brightness cut across his face as he quickly but carefully made his way over to them.  
            “Greetings, I am Zenyatta.” He said with a slight bow, his hands pressed together in front of his chest.  
            “Th’ name’s Jesse McCree. It’s a pleasure t’ meet you.” Jesse tipped his hat.  
            “Ah, the pleasure is mine. Tell me, Genji…?” Zenyatta turned towards his ‘new best friend.’ “Why have you called me over? Is it simply to meet the man who is attempting to court your brother?”  
            “…oh, so he knows about this too…” Jesse sighed.  
            “Well, sure, I told him. But, Zenyatta, listen, ok? We gotta go with McCree to Hanzo’s apartment. The idiot forgot to actually plan the date.” Genji said almost exasperatedly, putting a hand on Zenyatta’s shoulder.  
            “That is quite the predicament.” Zenyatta said with a thoughtful nod. “I will come with you. Please, allow me to inform my brother and then we may go.”

            Jesse was only slightly worried by the fact that Genji was grinning like a madman.

* * *

            “…I should have guessed that you drive a fucking pickup truck.” Genji sighed, looking at the ugliest and rustiest red truck he had ever seen.  
            “Ain’t she a beaut?” Jesse smiled proudly, placing his hands on his hips. “She breaks down a bit, but she gets me where I need t’ go.”  
            “She’s…something, that’s for sure… But how will we all fit? Damn, I guess Zen and I will have to ride in the back.” The young Shimada didn’t sound disappointed in the slightest as he made to start climbing into the truck bed.  
            “Oh, Genji, wait—” Zenyatta began softly at the same time Jesse shouted “Genji, stop!”  
            Genji paused with one leg swung over the side of the truck. “…what?” He asked, attempting to feign innocence but the pout already on his lips indicating that he knew exactly what was coming.  
            “Pardner, for one thing, I’m pretty sure it’s illegal t’ just ride in th’ back like that. An’ for another, there’s bags an’ bags of soil already there. Don’t want either of you t’ get dirty.” Jesse motioned towards the passenger side door. “Th’ three of us’ll fit just fine in here.”  
            “…Fine…” Genji mumbled, swinging his leg back over. The man was surprisingly less coordinated on the jump down than he had been on the ascent, but Jesse blamed that on the alcohol. Nevertheless, Zenyatta was quickly (well, what Jesse assumed was supposed to be quickly) at Genji’s side to help stabilize him.

            Jesse climbed into the driver’s side and started up the car while the other two men situated themselves beside him. He hadn’t realized how much space three grown men would take up and was thoroughly surprised when Genji’s shoulder was squished against him.  
            “Sorry, McCree.” Genji adjusted slightly to allow him to be able to comfortably drive. “I just don’t wanna push Zenny into the door.”  
            “Your concern is touching, but I assure you, I will be fine.” Zenyatta smiled warmly and Jesse couldn’t help but wonder just what the hell the two of them had been talking about in that hour (give or take) that they had been together for. He didn’t seem like Genji’s type, but Jesse realized he actually knew very little about Genji’s type. All he knew was that Hanzo mentioned several times that Genji just liked sleeping around.  
            Jesse glanced over at the two of them while stopped at a red light. Genji was amusing himself by flipping Zenyatta’s shirt collar up and down, both of them giggling. He grinned slightly, but then realized with a start that he had no idea where he was going. “Genji, hey, Genji?” He asked, nudging the man slightly.

            Genji looked surprised as he turned to face Jesse. “What is it?”  
            “Where exactly does Hanzo live?”  
            “…oh, you need to turn around. We went the wrong way. Sorry. I was distracted.” Genji laughed, running a hand through his still outrageously green hair.  
            “God damn it, Genji, you useless pan…” Jesse muttered as he made a very quick and almost as very illegal u-turn.  
            “Who told you that?”  
            “Oh, my apologies, pardner. Hanzo mentioned it once. There’s no problem with that, right?””  
            “No, I guess not. But that means Hanzo surely won’t mind that I tell you he’s gay as hell.” Genji said offhandedly with a shrug.

            For some reason, hearing the words come out of Genji’s mouth made Jesse turn and look at him. He had figured that Hanzo had to be at least slightly attracted to men (he did agree to dinner, after all) but hearing it confirmed…

            The combination of a blaring horn and Genji slamming his hand down on Jesse’s knee to push his foot further into the gas pedal brought him abruptly from his thoughts.

            “Genji, _qué mierda_ —!”  
            “ _GOD DAMN IT, JESSE MCCREE, YOU USELESS GAY_!!!” Genji almost screeched, his eyes wild with fear. “You were so busy thinking about my asshole brother, you ran a fucking red light! We almost DIED!!”  
            “ _Madre de Dios_ … I’m mighty sorry, y’all…” Jesse sighed, focusing more than ever on the road ahead.  
            Zenyatta reached across Genji to pat his arm. “It is all right. No one was injured.”  
            “That’s true!” Genji offered. “Oh, hey, take a right here.”

            After completing the turn, Jesse glanced towards Genji. “Now, you’re sure Hanzo will be fine with us just showin’ up?”  
            “Yeah, yeah, I mean… He might be drunk, but hey, so am I.” Genji laughed heartily, draping an arm around Zenyatta’s shoulders. It might have been what was supposed to be a casual gesture but turned out to be anything but. Zenyatta chuckled softly into his hand.  
            Jesse frowned, looking off far down the road.” Your brother, he uh… He don’t actually got a drinkin’ problem, right? I just… You had t’ get that idea from somewhere an’ Hanzo keeps tellin’ me it ain’t true, but…” He trailed off, biting his lower lip.  
            “You’re really worried about him like that? Well, he could probably slow down a bit, you know, for his liver’s sake. But there’s no real problem that I can see. No need to freak out.” Genji said with another shrug. “Shit, we missed another turn.”  
            “Genji, please try to focus on your navigating responsibilities.” Zenyatta sighed. At least, they assumed it was a sigh. His voice was not exactly incredibly expressive.

            Jesse only cursed under his breath a few times as he pulled his second but definitely not last u-turn of the night.

* * *

            “An’ you’re sure this is the right apartment?” Jesse asked, his voice straining to keep any hostility out. He might have responded with a bit more patience if Genji hadn’t already taken them to three wrong apartments.  
            “No, yeah, this is it. Number 66, because my brother is _almost_ the devil.” Genji tapped on the doorframe several times for emphasis.  
            “Alright, then…” Jesse raised his flesh hand and knocked on the door, trying to ignore both Genji and Zenyatta giggling uncontrollably beside him.

            Several agonizing moments later, a very disgruntled-looking Hanzo Shimada opened the door. He was clad in a rather tight t-shirt that bore a graphic that Jesse didn’t recognize and a pair of sweatpants that fit him perfectly in all the right spots (well, all the right spots that mattered to Jesse). But the best part of his incredibly casual ensemble was that his hair had been taken down from the ponytail and now lay loosely at his shoulders. _My God, he’s beautiful…_ Jesse thought, focusing all of his energy on keeping his jaw from dropping.

            “…Jesse?” Hanzo asked, squinting slightly in confusion. “What…how…why?”  
            “Howdy, darlin’! I just figured I’d stop by an’—” He was interrupted as Genji wedged himself between him and the doorframe, Zenyatta in tow.  
            “Heyyy, _anija_! Meet Zenyatta. I found him at the bar! We’re gonna go watch TV now, ok, bye.” Genji waved before reclaiming his grip on Zenyatta’s hand and ducking into Hanzo’s apartment.  
            “Peace be upon you, Hanzo.” Zenyatta greeted as he was clumsily led to the couch.  
            “Genji, what—? I— What?!” Hanzo turned on his heels to chase after his brother, but seemed to remember about Jesse halfway through the first step. With an awkward clunk of a foot and several awkward steps of shuffling, he turned to face him. “Jesse.”  
            “Yes, sweetheart? Have you been drinkin’ tonight?” Jesse asked, giving a concerned frown.  
            “…a bit. But I am fine. I promise you. No problem. Just…”  
            “Just a little drunk?”  
            “Precisely.”  
            “Shoot, if you’re still spoutin’ out words like ‘precisely’ then you can’t be too far gone.” Jesse chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck.

            Hanzo allowed a small laugh to escape before covering his mouth with one hand. Jesse had to think to himself exactly why he made the journey in order to not be distracted by what must have been the most positively adorable gesture ever.

            “Would you, um… Would you like to come in?” Hanzo asked after clearing his throat.  
            “I reckon I very much would.” Jesse tipped his hat as Hanzo stepped aside to allow him to enter first. He was slightly alarmed to see the mostly empty bottle sitting on the counter, but reminded himself that Hanzo didn’t seem terribly intoxicated. There was no reason to suspect the man had consumed that much alcohol in one sitting.

            “I apologize, um… I would offer you a seat on the couch, but my brother and his…er…friend…well…” Hanzo gestured vaguely in the direction of the couch where Genji and Zenyatta (mostly Genji) were becoming raptly attentive to whatever sitcom was on the television.  
            “Don’t you fret none, darlin’. Ain’t a problem. I just wanted t’ chat with you is all. An’ Genji said now would be a good time t’ come on over.” Jesse placed one hand on his hip, the other tugging through the hair at the base of his neck. He certainly hadn’t been expecting to be in the other man’s home before the first date and he casually tried to see all that he could from where he was standing. It was a simple home. There was the one couch, TV, and a small table in the kitchen area. There were little to no decorations.  
            Hanzo beckoned for him to follow and started towards the hallway. “We may talk undisturbed this way…”

            Jesse knew he shouldn’t have been surprised that Hanzo’s bedroom was as pitiful-looking as the rest of the apartment. But, alas, here he was staring almost unbelievingly at the four pieces of furniture in the room. There was the low bed (with disappointingly plain navy sheets), the dresser, a desk, and the desk chair (also navy). He whistled almost sadly and turned towards Hanzo.  
            “Darlin’, sweetheart… You gotta get some interior decoratin’ in here. This is a little pathetic.”  
            “It fits my needs.” Hanzo huffed, sitting gently on the edge of his bed. He patted the space next to him. “Come. Have a seat.”

            Once Jesse was seated, he angled himself to look more easily at Hanzo. “There’s really just one quick thing I gotta say an’ then I’ll be outta your hair. I realized that we agreed t’ dinner, but, we didn’t ever say when. An’ as I’m sayin’ this out loud, I realize I could’ve just texted you… So, sorry for bein’ a bother.”  
            “It is no bother. But, ah, yes… the dinner. Just the two of us, you said?” Hanzo wasn’t even entirely sure why he asked. In his heart, he knew the answer. His brain was just too stubborn to admit it until he heard the words from the ‘cowboy’s’ mouth. He reasoned later it could also be the alcohol’s fault.  
            “Well, I reckon that’s th’ point of a date, darlin’.”  
            Hanzo felt his heartbeat falter. “…so, it is a date, then?”  
            “That’s w-what I was going for.” Jesse blushed and looked down slightly. “Unless you’d rather not, I—”  
            “…you wish to date me.”  
            “Of course! You’re th’ prettiest damn thing I ever laid eyes on! An’ despite what Genji says, I think you’ve got a winnin’ personality! Sure, you ain’t perfect, but none of us are! I—” Jesse cut off, realizing he was probably embarrassing the both of them with his rambling. He found it in himself to look up with just enough time to see Hanzo leaning towards him.

            Hanzo wasn’t aware that he was moving until he realized that he was kissing Jesse. The man was obviously surprised, his eyebrows skyrocketing up. Hanzo screwed his eyes shut and was just about to curse himself and pull away when Jesse started to return the kiss.  
            Jesse pulled back after what simultaneously seemed like years and also a nanosecond. “N-Now, I don’t usually k-kiss before th’ first date, but it’s nice t’ know we’re feelin’ th’ same way about this.” He breathed out, admiring how nice Hanzo’s eyes looked and also wondering where “Smooth Talker Jesse McCree” had gone when the men had first met.  
            But Hanzo seemed to be far less interested in talking as he captured Jesse’s lips again, this time with more of a hunger. Jesse went along with the kiss for a fraction of a second before placing his hands on the other man’s shoulders and gently pushing him back.

            “Hanzo, darlin’, sweetheart. Wait.” Jesse had to make several more efforts to keep Hanzo at bay. “How much have you had t’ drink tonight?”  
            “Not much.” There was another attempted kiss.  
            “Really? Because just five minutes ago you said you were drunk. An’ I’m not gonna let you do somethin’ you might at all regret when you sober up.”  
            “ _Jesse, please_...” Hanzo whined, almost sinfully. “I am hardly drunk.”  
            Jesse raised one eyebrow in a look of unimpressed disbelief. “Let’s say for a hot second that you ain’t drunk, alright? Do you really want t’ do anythin’ where your little brother an’ his monk friend are less than 20 feet away?” He thought he remembered Genji or Zenyatta mentioning something about monk status on the drive over. He hoped he remembered it anyway, because otherwise he was quite unsure of where he got the idea.

            Hanzo frowned. “…I suppose you have a point. What _are_ they up to out there? The TV has gone silent… If that little shit is about to have sex on my couch, he could at least warn me…”  
            Jesse stood up and made his way to the door, sticking his head into the hallway. “Oh, Han, there’s nothing t’ worry about. You oughta have more confidence in your brother. Zenyatta appears t’ be teachin’ Genji somethin’ about meditation.”  
            “Mediation?” Hanzo scoffed. “Genji has always been terrible with being still or quiet.”  
            “He’s actually doin’ good, considerin’ he’s drunker than a skunk. I reckon at least one of ‘em will be sleepin’ on your couch tonight. Innocently, even.”  
            “Will you stay?”  
            “I-I beg your pardon?” Jesse stammered, blush creeping across his cheeks as he turned back towards Hanzo.  
            “Jesse, will you stay as well?”  
            “Darlin’, there’s nowhere for me t’ sleep.”  
            “Sleep here. I will behave myself. There is room.”  
            “…you drive a hard bargain, sweetheart. An’ how could I say no t’ that t’ a face like yours?”

            The next morning, while driving home an extremely hung-over Genji and a half asleep Zenyatta, Jesse McCree would realize that he had still forgotten to actually plan the date. (He would remedy this error with a phone call later in the day).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I know that Mondatta might not actually be Zenyatta's brother, but I kind of like the brother dynamic there and I can dream)  
> I love Spanish speaking McCree, but I know little to no Spanish and like to imagine that he doesn't use it very much any more so it isn't exactly first nature to him although sometimes it can be startled out of him.
> 
> Before I get started on what will inevitably turn into a rant, I just want to thank you all so so much for the lovely comments and kudos you've left on my work! I was extremely nervous about posting this fic anywhere after not having produced any fanfiction for several years and you all have just made me so incredibly happy that I decided to share this. (and if you had any knowledge of my previous fanfictions, you would understand my hesitation to get back in the game and just how far I've come)
> 
> I hope that I've managed to keep the characters as in character as possible, though, understandably, I have no doubt made several errors. If you see these and would like to point them out, I can do my best to fix them if you would give some suggestions! (The same goes for any spelling and/or grammar errors that might make appearances in any of the chapters!) 
> 
> When I first began this fic, it was honestly just a guilty pleasure stress-relief that I never expected anyone else to read. And then I decided you know what the heck and opened my AO3 account and however many months later, here we are. All of your support was just incredible and I'm so sorry it's taken so long to bring this five chapter fic to a conclusion. I can only hope that the conclusion is satisfying enough. (and if it isn't ! perhaps you could show me how you would have liked it to continue on ! (maybe in some fanart ///waggles eyebrows )) 
> 
> I just want to encourage all of you to get out there and write your best (if you enjoy writing) because the best way to improve is to keep at it. And if you get bad comments, or no comments, don't feel bad! As long as you're having fun and it isn't harmful, they shouldn't be able to tell you not to have a good time. And if for some godforsaken reason, you've stumbled across this fic and want to be able to write like me someday (oh lord that sounds pretentious to type out) but still ! If you want that, I want you to want that for yourself. If you for some reason think that I am this excellent writer, I want you to think that to encourage yourself to keep trying. We all start from nothing and so many people achieve so much. The talent of the human race is truly incredible. And all of you have that spark within you, it's just harder to find sometimes. Look, this got really long and obnoxious, but my point is to never give up. You never know how great you can be until you get there. And even then, you can always be greater. 
> 
> If you would like to send me any prompts for future fics, you can either send them here, or on my tumblr (SymmetricMusician) ! I won't write anything NSFW or smut, but if you have an idea that you'd like to see me actualize (it doesn't even have to be McHanzo), I'd love to see it! You guys are probably far more creative with ideas than I could be on my own and I love that! 
> 
> TL;DR: Thank you all so much for your support over the course of this fic and I hope that you all enjoyed the last chapter. You all are so amazing and I hope that if you really like my fic, then it encourages you to either keep writing or to maybe pick up writing again if you dropped it somewhere along the way and want to get back in it. Have a great day, y'all, and thank you so much again.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope the characterizations aren't too off! I'm not really worried about this chapter in that respect, but I really hope the next one is ok too! Feel free to let me know if you see any wording that looks strange or if there's any typos! I've read over it multiple times, but I don't have beta so it's very likely that I missed something ! Thanks for reading and I hope I'll see you next time !  
> (I also apologize for any formatting errors!)


End file.
